ASHLEY TERRY
In this economy, there’s not much you can get for $2.50 — but it can get some Azle residents a ride clear across Tarrant County.
Since November 2003, Azle has partnered with the Fort Worth Transportation Authority to offer a door-to-door ride-sharing service that allows residents 65 or older or those with disabilities to travel anywhere in Tarrant County for the low cost of $2.50 per one-way trip — a price that hasn’t changed since 2004.
According to Matt Jacobs, transportation program director for Catholic Charities Fort Worth Transportation Services, the nonprofit operates three transportation services — including Tarrant County Transportation Service, which serves Azle residents. As the third-largest provider of transportation in Tarrant County, Catholic Charities’ goal is to meet the transportation needs of Tarrant County to help residents attain transportation self-sufficiency.
“What a good opportunity it is to let someone 65 or older and/or with a disability to get out and about and do what they want to do in the county,” Jacobs said.
While many transportation services limit destinations to strictly medical trips, Jacobs said TCTS riders can use the service for just about anything they need — or want — to do within Tarrant County.
“It's everything. It could be social visiting if they have someone in Fort Worth they want to visit, lunch, shopping, work — whatever they need it for,” he said. “It gives them a lot of freedom.”
Although rides are only available to Azle residents one day a week on Mondays, Jacobs said the service can still provide some relief for family members or caregivers who would otherwise be responsible for transportation.
“Even that one day a week could give someone the opportunity to let their loved one not have to take them in or so that person can be freed up to do what they want to do on that day, so it benefits the whole family,” Jacobs said.
Despite the one-day-a-week availability in Azle, Jacobs said the program is particularly popular among Azle residents, with Azle and Mansfield being two of its biggest participating cities.
In fact, from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, Azle clients took roughly 747 trips through the program, with 68 of those trips taking place just in the month of September.
Even with that level of usage, the city pays only a fraction of what it costs to provide the program. During the last fiscal year, the city of Azle paid $3,126 in administrative fees for the program, while residents received $42,329.69 worth of transportation services — a cost covered by a federal grant.
With Azle clients traveling just about anywhere and everywhere in Tarrant County, those transportation costs can add up quickly. Jacobs said Azle riders have traveled to cities as far as Arlington, Colleyville, Keller, North Richland Hills and White Settlement.
“Since they can go anywhere in the county, they’re going into cities that don’t even have transportation … so it works out really well,” he explained.
Catholic Charities has a fleet of about 36 vans and buses, with eight drivers designated for TCTS trips as needed. Jacobs explained that the vans used for the program can accommodate up to three ambulatory passengers and one wheelchair user.
With door-to-door rather than curb-to-curb service, Jacobs said drivers are also able to walk their passengers to the door of each destination — and make friends along the way.
“The drivers get to know the clients because it’s a small group of drivers, so they get to build that relationship and be able to say, ‘Hey, are you feeling alright?’ and let them talk — and that’s the great part of what they do,” Jacobs said.
Transportation services for Azle residents are available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Monday, and trips must be booked 48 hours or two business days in advance. Because it’s a rideshare, Jacobs said sometimes riders will be in the vehicle with other passengers heading in the same direction.
“Lots of times, you’re probably by yourself,” Jacobs said, “but it is a rideshare, so if they say they want to be somewhere at 9 a.m., they can get picked up as early as 8 a.m. so we can get some more people on along the way.”
There’s also no limit to how many rides one passenger books in the same day. In fact, Jacobs said it’s encouraged for residents to get all their errands completed at once since they’ll already be “out and about.”
“If they decided to go to the doctor and go home, and then go to Walmart and go home, they would pay for each part of that (because) every trip is $2.50,” he explained
The cost for a ride may be lower than almost anything else these days, but Jacobs said for now, the funding is still holding up, allowing Catholic Charities to keep its “sweet deal” of $5 per round trip. Riders can pay the fee with cash, use account credit or purchase tickets.
Although the service itself is limited to trips within Tarrant County, Jacobs said anyone with an Azle address can still use the transportation service — even if they technically live in Parker County.
“For Azle, you’re overlapping two counties, but as long as they have an Azle address, we’ll take them,” Jacobs said, “but they have to come into Tarrant (when using the rideshare).”
Azle residents are encouraged to call Catholic Charities’ transportation intake line at 817-336-8714 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to see if they qualify for one of its current programs or to schedule a ride.
“I've been really blessed to have that opportunity to help the clients out in the area who need to get around,” Jacobs added. “It's affordable, and … a great resource, for sure.”
